The use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to track, identify and locate goods has grown significantly in recent years. RFID tags allow manufacturers, distributors and retailers, amongst others, to regulate products and inventory, quickly determine production, manufacture, distribution or retail needs and efficiently intake and outtake items utilizing RFID tags. The RFID tags themselves can provide any desired product data and may be scanned or read in any of a variety of manners.
Another feature of RFID tags is their use with retail products as a theft deterrent and prevention device. RFID tags may be coupled with a retail product in such a manner that an ordinary consumer may be dissuaded from removing the RFID tag, for example by way of a human-perceptible warning or by showing that the product would be damaged if the RFID tag were removed by unauthorized personnel using inappropriate tooling. Additionally, retailers, or any other entity desiring to prevent theft or maintain inventory control, may have RFID scanners or readers positioned at locations, such as exits, that can cause an alarm or provide other indicia that a product has been removed or relocated without authorization.
However, theft of products which are coupled to RFID tags still occurs. For example, if a product is coupled with an RFID tag, a thief may attempt to cut, tear or otherwise damage the RFID tag in order to remove it from the product. Often, such acts can occur in dressing rooms or other locations where surveillance is either not permissible or not possible. Various methods known in the prior art, however, are often defeated or rendered inoperable due to tampering with the RFID devices.